Drinking fountain



May 30, 1944. 9Y5

DRINKING FOUNTAIN 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 11, 1941 ATToeNE Y6:

May 30, 1944. J 0Y5 2,350,184

DRINKING FOUNTAIN Filed Dec. 11, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JOHN 5. OK)

A TTOENE Y6 Patented May 30, 1944 DRINKING FOUNTAIN John E. Oys, Hastings, Minm, assignor to H. D. Hudson Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Minnesota Application December 11, 1941, Serial No. 422,549 3 Claims. ('01. 225-21) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in drinking fountains, and more particularly to a portable fountain having means whereby it may be conveniently carried upon a person's back.

A further object is to provide a drinking fountain which is particularly well adapted for supplying drinking water to large groups of men, such as construction crews or army camps, as it may readily be carried about upon the back of a person, or it may be temporarily positioned on a suitable support, said fountain being provided with a suitable cup dispenser and also a used cup receptacle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a portable drinking fountain adapted to be carried upon ones back in the manner of a knapsack, said fountain comprising a tank provided with a suitable cover and having a dispensing faucet adjacent to its bottom wall, and a suitable used-cup receiving chamber being provided beneath the bottom wall of the tank.

A further object is to provide a fountain of the class described comprising a tank having a water chamber therein and having a cup dispensing device detachably supported thereon, and said tank also being provided with a usedcup chamber having a trap door in its bottom to facilitate removal of the used cups therefrom.

A further object is to provide a drinking fountain adapted to be carried on one's back in a manner similar to a knapsack, and being provided with a cup dispensing device and a usedcup receiving receptacle, and a plate being secured to the back wall of the tank in spaced relation there o adapted to engage the carrier's back, said plate cooperating with the adjacent wall of the tank to Provide an air circulat ng passage whereby air may circulate freely upwardly between the tank wall and the carrier's back.

Other objects of th invention reside in the provision of a fountain of the class described comprising a cup dispensing device and a usedcup receiving receptacle which are detachablv supported on the exterior of the! tank wall, whereby they may readily be serviced. or removed from the tank when desired; in the provision of a portable drinking fountain which may be used in a fixed position or be carried on the back of a person. and in the provision of such an apparatus which is extremely simple and inexpensive in construction. whereby it may be manufactured in quantity production at small cost.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following description and accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the accompanying drawings there has been disclosed a structure designed to carry out the various objects of the invention, but it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the exact features shown as various changes may be made within the scope of the claims which follow.

In the drawings:

' Figure 1 is a view showing the means for spacing the back wall of the tank from the carriers back, and also showing the means whereby it may be conveniently carried on the back of a person;

Figure 2 is a sectional view substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top view of Figure 1, showing the means for securing the cover in closed position;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, showing the water tank and the used-cup chamber therebeneath;

Figure 5 is a sectional plan view on the line 5--5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a side view of a tank of slightly different construction;

Figure 7 is a plan View of Figure 6; and

Figure 8 is a plan view of a tank similar to the one shown in Figures 6 and '7, but wherein the used-cup receptacle is mounted adjacent to one side of the tank.

The novel drinking fountain herein disclosed is Shown comprising a tank, generally designated by the numeral 2, comprising front and back walls 3 and 4, respectively, and side walls 5. The upper portions of the tank walls 3, 4 and 5 cooperate to provide a water chamber 6 having a bottom wall I, which is spaced upwardly from the lower edges of the tank walls, as clearly i lustrated in Figure 4.

A suitable cover 8 provides a closure for the tank 8, and is preferably provided with an annular inverted groove 9 adapted to receive the upper edges of the tank walls, as clearly illustrated in Figure 4. A suitable packing element or gasket H is shown seated in the bottom of the roove 9 to provide a leak-proof joint between the cover and tank walls.

Means is provided for securing the cover in closing position, and is here shown comprising a bar 2, which is mounted for pivotal movement on the cover 8 by means of a pivot pin or bolt i1, shown in Figures 3 and 4. The end portions of the bar it are adapted to engage suitable hook elements ll, which may be secured to the side walls 5, as shown in full lines in Figure 8, thereby in tightly secure the cover to the tank, as shown in Figure 4. A suitable carrying handie I! may be provided on the locking bar l2 to facilitate swinging said bar into and out of locking engagement with the hook elements It, and whereby the entire drinking fountain may be carried about from place to place. An auxiliary handle I. is provided within the tank 2 adjacent to the upper end thereof, and is secured to the front and rear walls 3 and 4, respectively, as will be understood by reference to Figures 1, 2 and 4. When the cover 8 is removed from the fountain, the latter may be conveniently carried by grasping the handle I within the tank.

In the apparatus, as shown in Figure l, a pair of straps ii are provided on the tank, such straps having suitable hook elements or links ll adapted to engage complemental rings is secured to the rear wall of the tank, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1. The straps I! are adapted to engage the shoulders of a person thereby to support the tank on his back in a manner similar to an ordinary knapsack. The straps II are preferably provided with suitable adjusting buckles 21, whereby the lengths thereof may be properly adjusted.

In the apparatus as shown in Figures 1, 2. 3 and 4, a suitable cup dispenser 22 is shown detachably mounted in a bracket 22 secured to the 5. The shield I! is preferably shaped as shown in Figures 2 and 5. wherebyit fits substantially the contour of the carrier's back so as not to exert undue pressure oncertain areas thereof.

The major portion of the shield 36 is spaced 1 outwardly from the rear wall 4 of the tank, as shown in Figures 2 and 5, and the upper and lower edges thereof are spaced relatively closer to said wall. The lower edge ll of the plate ll is spaced from the wall 4 of the tank to provide an air circulating passage 40, through which air may enter the space between the plate wall of the tank 2. This dispenser is adapted to support a plurality of fresh or clean cups 2., which may readily be removed therefrom one at a time, in the usual manner, as will be understood by reference to Figure 4.

A suitable faucet 25 is shown mounted in one of the side walls 5 of the tank adjacent to the bottom wall I. This faucet is shown provided with an operating button 26, which, when depressed, will open the faucet so that water may be drawn from the water chamber 8.

Means is provided for facilitating the disposal of the used cups 24, and, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, comprises a chamber 21 disposed between the bottom wall I of the water tank and defined by the lower portion of the tank walls. A wall 2' provides a bottom for the waste chamber 21, and has a suitable trap door 2!, which is hinged at 2!, and has a keeper 32 at its opposite end adapted to be engaged by a spring actuated lock bolt "82, mounted in the lower portion of one of the side walls I of the apparatus. A suitable slot 34 is provided in the front wall 3 of the tank adjacent to the bottom wall 1, through which the empty cups may be inserted into the waste chamber 21. The spring bolt 23 is shown provided with a suitable finger grip 25, adapted to be pulled outwardly, when it is decided to release the trap door 29 to reject the empty used cups from the chamber 21.

A drinking fountain of the type herein disclosed is often used for dispensing cold drinking water, and it is therefore highly desirable that means be provided for preventing the back wall 4 of thetank from directly contacting with the carriers back. To thus prevent the back wall of the tank from directly engaging the carrier's back, a suitable protecting plate or shield 38 is shown provided on the wall of the tank. and may have its opposed marginal edge portions 31 received in vertical guides 28 secured to the back wall 4 of the tank 2, as shown in Figure I. and tank wall 4, and upwardly fiow therethrough. A plurality of air ducts 4| are provided adjacent to the upper marginal edge of the plate or shield 38, through which the air entering thespace between the shield and the tank wall may escape to the atmosphere. By thus constructing the shield, air may freely circulate upwardly between the tank wall 4 and the shield, and thereby prevent direct contact of the cold wall of the tank with the carrier's back.

In Figures 6, 7 and 8, I have shown a tank 52 of slightly modified construction, wherein the waste cup chamber 21 has been dispensed with. In the form here shown, a suitable waste receiving bag or container 42 is detachably mounted on the front wall of the tank, by means of an annular ring-like member 43, having a downwardly extending stem or rod 44 adapted to 'be received in a socket member 45 secured to the wall of the tank. A suitable bracket 46 is secured to the wall of the tank 50 adapted to receive a cup dispenser 22, similar to the one shown in Figure 5. The tank BI has a faucet 25, sim-- ilar to the one shown in Figures 1, 4 and 5, which is disposed adjacent to the bottom wall 41 of the tank, as will be clearly understood by reference to Figure 6.

The tank I0 has a suitable cover 8, similar to the one shown in the previous figures, and which is therefore identified by the same numeral. In Figure 8, I have shown a tank similar to the one shown in Figure "l, but wherein the bag-like waste receptacle 2 has been dispensed with, and in lieu thereof a suitable waste receptacle 4. is shown provided at the opposite side of the tank from which the tube dispenser 22 is mounted. The waste receptacle 42 is detachably supported on the tank by means of a suitable bracket ll, similar to the br'acketi2l shown in Figure 2.

The novel drinking fountain herein disclosed has been found extremely useful for supplying water to large crews of workmen, as it may be conveniently carried upon the back of a person and is supplied with fresh cups and a chamber for receiving used cups. It may also be used in army camps for supply water to the soldiers in and about camp buildings, and also when on maneuvers, as it may, if desired, be mounted on a suitable support or table, or it may be carried about from place to place in the manner of an ordinary knapsack.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal objects of my invention, and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiments are illustrative only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

I claim as my invention:

1. A portable drinking fountain comprising a tank having a dispensing faucet adjacent to its bottom wall and provided with a suitable cover, carryin means on the tank whereby the fountain may be conveniently carried upon a persons back, a plate removably secured to the back.

in said guides and spaced outwardly from the adjacent wall of the tank to provide an air circulating passage between said wall and the carriers back, and whereby the back wall of the tank cannot directly contact the carrier's back. 3. A portable drinking fountain comprising a tank having a dispensing faucet adjacent to its bottom wall and provided with a suitable cover, carrying means on the tank whereby the fountain may be conveniently carried upon a person's back, inwardly facing spaced parallel guides secured to the back wall of the tank, and a plate having outwardly directed flanges removably received in said guides, said plate being outwardly spaced from the back wall of the tank and operating to space the rear wall of the tank from the carrier's back, and whereby said wall cannot directly engage the carrier's back.

JOHN E. OYS. 

